Rogier Gruys

Rogier was born in the Netherlands but moved to Canada to study arctic and winter ecology for his undergraduate and master's degrees. He then spent a decade working on international development projects in Ghana, Indonesia, Mongolia and Bhutan, and five years with Canada's national tourism marketing board on tourism development.

He combined his passions for tourism and conservation with Parks Canada, first in tourism development in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies, and then as the manager of the visitor program for Gwaii Haanas on Haida Gwaii off the coast of British Columbia. In 2024, he retired from the Parks service and followed his passion for travel and the natural world with a new career as a naturalist and guide on expedition ships.

Rogier thrives on sharing his passion for the natural places he lives and works in with guests, both in person and through his photography. His photos have been used extensively by Parks Canada and tourism organizations and have been published in various travel magazines and books. When not onboard ships, Rogier spends as much time as possible outdoors, hiking, backpacking, biking, sea-kayaking, snowshoeing and skiing. He speaks about six languages, some better than others.